Thursday, 03 February 2022
Fascinating new collaborations between students and researchers at the University of Nottingham and an important archaeological park in Italy will soon be up and running thanks to the appointment of a Nottingham expert to run its two sites.
Dr Tiziana D’Angelo, from the university’s Department of Classics and Archaeology, has been made Director of the Archaeological Parkof Paestum and Velia in southern Italy for the next four years. Both Paestum and Velia are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and Paestum in particular is home to three of the best-preserved temples from the ancient Greek world.
Velia Acropolis © Ministero della Cultura - Parco Archeologico di Paestum e Velia.
Paestum, just south of Naples, was originally a Greek colony, named Poseidonia, and later became a Latin one. Its spectacular Greek temples date from around 550 to 450 BC and made Paestum one of the major destinations of the Grand Tour – the fashionable tour of Europe by upper class men and some women between 17th and early 19th centuries. The extensive archaeological remains in the area also map the activities of the ensuing Roman period, including a forum, an amphitheatre, and baths. Velia, another Greek colony founded in the mid-6th century BC by the Phocaeans, was home to the great philosophers Parmenides and Zeno.
The Park is an institution that operates under the Italian Ministry of Culture. Its remit is to enrich, preserve and enhance archaeological monuments and art-historical collections to provide and protect sustainable access to cultural heritage.
Dr Tiziana D'Angelo, Department of Classics and Archaeology, University of Nottingham
Reacting to her appointment, Dr D’Angelo said: “I am absolutely thrilled about the post. As a scholar working on the art and archaeology of southern Italy, the opportunity to run the sites of Paestum and Velia is a dream come true. I have been collaborating with the Park for the past few years and now it is an honour to return there as Director. I am also excited about the projects that we can develop in collaboration with colleagues and students at Nottingham.”
Professor Will Bowden, Department of Classics and Archaeology, University of Nottingham
Head of the Department of Classics and Archaeology at the University of Nottingham, Professor Will Bowden, said: “This is a really exciting development for the Department of Classics and Archaeology. The Paestum and Velia Archaeological Park features some of the most iconic monuments of the ancient Mediterranean and Dr D’Angelo’s appointment will help our students get first-hand understanding of the processes of managing a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Although Dr D’Angelo will be working full-time for the Italian Ministry of Culture for four years, she will remain very much a member of the department and we look forward to developing a range of collaborations over this time”.
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For more information, please contact Dr Tiziana D’Angelo, Department of Classics and Archaeology, University of Nottingham, via email tiziana.dangelo@nottingham.ac.uk or Emma Rayner, Media Relations Manager on 07738 291242 or emma.rayner@nottingham.ac.uk
Notes to editors:
About the University of Nottingham
Ranked 32 in Europe and 16th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings: Europe 2024, the University of Nottingham is a founding member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
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